St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-19
THE ERA OF SLANG.


That Are Not Found in Web
Ster.
The era of slang is upon us with a
breadth that is almost appalling, says a
correspondent of the Philadelphia Call.
Not wholly the slang that might be de-
fined as the burlesque or cOllOquial form
of expression, the language of low hui
NOR. or the jargon of thieves and va
grants. but a species that is almost as
reprehensible. Ii will not do TO apollo
giZe for it by saying that ''slang is prob
ably as old as human speech" and that
the early writers INDUCED in it, eSpe-
cially the Greek and Roman dramatistS /;
and. while we may speak and write
against the perniciOuS habit, we suspect
that we will not grow disguised enough
with it to thoroughly uprOOt it until it
has reached its climax. The worst fact
about it is that it is not confined to the
low and the illiterate. but has invaded
the public schools, cultured society and
the literature of our books. | admit
that some of the slang expressions are
fOrcible and full Of adequateness,
among which | might name fired out, -
colossal cheek" etc. Still, even they
ought TO be tabOOed.
But what excuse can possibly be of
fered for such words as ''galloot,"
etc. Or such expressions as ''waltzed
off on his ear" Il should snicker,' .
NOW you're shoutin',' etc. They are
scarcely emphatic and certainly not
polite Even the fair sex have caught
the infection and speak about his royal
nibs" or the ''howling SWELL The girl
of to-day is ready to bet her bottom
dollar" wants to know what you re
givin' her." lets you know that you
shall come off. ''VamoOSe." ''Skedad-
de-" ''absquatulate, and al that.
You do her slight favor and she eX-
claims, "Oh, thanks, awfully!" Why
she should thank you with reverend
fear is beyond your comprehension.
Ask her to sing your faVOritc sentimental
ballad, and she will probably say, "Oh,
Mr.. -, | cawnt. It's too utterly
too-toor' While playing lawn tennis
with her she suddenly cries out: "Oh,
you've given me such twist" You
feel exceedingly alarmed: you are afraid
that her collar-bone is broken, or at least
that her wrist has been dislOcated. You
discover, however, that it is but tennis
slang, and that your sympathy has been
wasted. She confidently tells You that
Jennie Somebody is mo good" and had
the ''cheek" to propose to scratch her
at the next meeting of the club, because
she hadn't ''forked over the ''SpOndu-
licks'' for the last quarter. All that is
TO be deprecated. but the girls, heaven
! bless them, look SO pretty and use the
term 50 artlessly that | haven't the
heart to be severe in my reproof.
1t isn't pleasant TO be accOSted by
ones five-year-old hopeful as an odd
snoozer.'' or to know that he is lying in
wait to ''knock the stufiin'" out of a
neighbours boy, or to wipe the floor
with him. Or to hear our Short-Skirted
but high-spirited daughter tell the
aforesaid brother that she wishes the
snOot," or "knOck him clean out of the
box or Into the middle of neXtweek."
| don't know that am especially Sensi-
tive, and yet must say that such eX-
presSions send the creepS up my back.
The editor filings nasty quill: the
hired girl is a ''pOt-TaStler;" when a
thing suits us it's lust the cheese"
when too noisy we are told TO dry up
OF to suspend" when cunningly on
the alert we say mot if the court knows
ITSELF" if one day is not available,
smother one" is: when we die we
''paSs in our checks" ARE put away Oh
ice" and are finally planted" so L
| might go on adj tinitum. You can think,
| am sure, of at least 100 words and
phrases to which | have made 10 refer
ence. For inventing cute words and
! phrases our country leads the profess
sion. They are clever and appropriate,
get into the topical song, the public
''catch'' and they live and thrive, and
in many instances the dictionary finally
lpUitimiYpS them
Slang, insist. is the fungus on the
the scum of language 1t often BELT
ties; it never beauties. If we all
| spoke and wrote iii less exaggerated
manner we would be less exaggerated
in our ways of life and thought. Life,
| as well As speech. would perhaps grow
more simple. more true, more worth
! living